Asskhtobb



W. F. BALLINGER AND 0.. SHIVERS.

ROOF STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5. I92.

Reissued June 28, 1921.

- IIIVENTOR ATTORN W. F. BALLINGER AND C. S HIVERSI ROOF STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED HAYS-19H.

Reissued June 28, 1921;

IIIYENTOR weld: 7. '1)

W. F. BALLINGER AND C. H. SHIVERS.

ROOF STRUCTURE;

APPLICATION man my 5. I921.

Reisslied June 28, 1921. 1 5, 1 33.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A TTORNE Y W. F. BALLIHGERLANID C. H. SHIVERS.

APPLICATION FILED HAY5,19ZI.

Rei ss ued June 28, 1921.

ROOF STRUCTURE.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

INVENTOR www- 3M UNITED STA rss PATENT on-"l-cs.

wnm'nn ir. amen, or mmnnrms, rmmsnvma, mn-cmro'nn a.

or woonmmr, mrw J, sssrenoma! ASSIGN- nu'rs, 'ro ssim summons.

To-all whom it may concern Be it known that we Waurnn F. BALI-IN- on and Cmn'onn H. nrvnns, both citizens of the United States, and residing, respec- 5 tivel in Philadelphia, county of Philadelp a, and State of Pennsylvania, and Woodburjy, county of Gloucester, and State of New ersey have invented an Improvement in Roof structures, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to that type of roofing known as saw-tooth construction, and has for its object the provision of special means whereby the usual and heretofore liy walls, piers, or posts for support may be argelyeliminated to provide greatly lessened construction within the room space of the building. 7

Heretofore it has been customary in buildings having roofs of saw-tooth construction, to provide a plurality of supporting walls, piers, or posts along the longitudinal junc-' tures and below the transverse gutter elements of the respective tooth portions of the roof structure as a whole, and while the saw-tooth construction of roofs with their oblique sash for light and ventilation are most excellent and eflicient for industrial plants, as well as being relatively low in *cost there has been considerable objection to their use on account of the lar number of points of support which has eretofore been required for stability andwhich necessitated upright. walls, posts or piers distributed throughout the room space beneath the roof, said walls, posts or piers interfering very materially with distribution of machinery and also with the freedom of movement within the room space such as would be 40 required in automobile stations and those characters of industrial lants where the transference of merchan ise and stock is constantly being uired.

We have found, t at by special construction, comprehendin the tying the several ridges o the saw-tooth structures of the roof by means of longitudinal upper compression chords and associat on there- 'with corresponding tie or tension chord members at the base of the roof respectively below the said compression chords and contogether of *tional Specification of leissued Letters Patent. Reigg ued June 28, 1921,

Original F0. 1,847,689, dated 3111! 97, 1950, Serial No.

lune fled Kay 5, 1821. Serial No. 487,803.

tinuous for the extent of the saw-tooth sectlons which are connected b the said upper compression chords, ara lel super-span trussesare formed, and rther, that by combimng these super-s an trusses with deep transverse trussed girders arranged at one' and preferablymore of the high portions of the saw-tooth sections (to WhlCh transverse glrders the compression and tension chords 814,528, med July a1, 1919. Application for reare connected), great transverse width of roof span is provided. By-these improve ments we are enabled to convert what-has heretofore been a weak sectional construction, requlring a large number of under supports intermediate of the four corners, into a r gid self-supporting unitary structure; having great strength both lon itudihally and transversely, and whereby all excepting those at the immediate. corners,

PP B,

may be eliminated. We have further found that, by reason of these improvements, permitting the elimination of many of the numerous supports heretofore necessary, we can for the available floor s ace provided, materially cheapen the total cost of construction ofa buildin while maintaining the strength of its roo and further obtain the additional advantages arising from elimination of the obstructingsupportsheretofore deemed necessary in the room space.

With the above and other objects in view, the nature of which will be more full understoodv from the description hereina ter, the invention consists in the novel construction of roofs for buildin as hereinafter more fully described and efined in the claims,

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a building emodying ourinvention; Fi 2 is a perspective skeleton view intende to illustrate the general girder structures employed in the building shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 2 1S a similar view but showin two connecting sections of roof structure; ig. 3 is a lon tudinal secelevation illustrating a glllldl having a roof embodying our invention; ig. 3" is a side view diagrammatically showin the relation of connecting roof sections; 1g. 4; is a similar section of a portion of Fig. 3 on a larger scale; Fig. 5 is a transverse elevation ofthe roof girders at one end of A general understandin of the nature ofthe invention will be, per aps, best had by reference to Figs. 1 and 2 which illustrate in perspective a general view of a building having a saw-tooth roof structure. In these figures, 2 represents a plurality of saw-tooth roof sections which are arranged side by side in series and provide the solid roof ortions 3 and the sash portions 4, which rnish light to the interior and suitable means for ventilation. This roof structure hasbeen made of a width to span from wall to wall or from the walls to intermediate posts, according to the total width necessary. In the particular illustration, we have indicated a width of building which would approximate two complete saw-tooth roof portions 'oined side to side to w den the covering of t e buildin At the uncture between the inclined roo ortions 3 and the inclined sash portions 4 t ere are arranged transverse gutters 5 and the vertical th ckness of the framing at these'gutter points have been exceedingly small, so-that there was no strength against bendi at these laces. For this reason, it has eretofore n necessary to provide, not onl under the four corners o the roof, suita 1e supporting posts or piers, but. it has also been necessa toplace walls, iers or, posts immediate y under the sai portions of the roof structure in alinement with the gutters 5, so that in reality each of the saw-tooth portions of the entire roof have at least four ints of supplort. When the width is douled, then t as. been heretofore necessary I not only to providethe outer walls and the outer posts or piers 6, but also to rovide additional walls, piers or posts wit in the building and within the room space under each gutter portion where the duplicate roof structures are joined.

In the roof structure as heretofore employed, it has been necessary not only to provide the posts or positive means of support at the parts marked 6 in Fi 2, but also at the oints marked 6" in said gure, from which it will be seen that in a small roof, having only three saw-tooth sections in length and of-a double width, there is required six additional posts or piers or means of support, or doublethe number which is uired in the constructionwhich is emied in our present invention. The great advantage of this elimination of the intermediate supports is ap arent from the fact that the room space is eptreasonably clear of obstructions and a very material economy in construction is also insured. 1

Referring again to Fig. 2, which is inconstruction, it will be seen t tended (in a diagrammatic manner) to illustrate the main features of the preferred truss at the roof is made up of the three super-span trusses, each comprising the lower chord 13, the upper chord 9 and intermediate substantially triangular trusses 12 (partly supporting the solid roof portions 3), in association with the transverse trussed girders 10, which, in the most desirable form, come immediately back of the sash portions 4. More or less of the transverse trussed girders may be employed, so long as they properly sup ort the intermediate super-span trusses w ere necessary and insure support from the same supportln means as t e outer super-span trusses. n this case, the intermediate ost 6 at front and rear ends may be omitte as more particularly pointed out hereinafter. In this diagram we have only illustrated three of these intermediate trusses 12 in the transverse width of the roof in any sawtooth section thereof,but it is to be undertermediate trusses or other suitable roof supports may be employed according to the .width of the building and the roofing weight to be sustained. In Fig. 2",, is shown the super-span trusses A and A of connecting saw-tooth roof sections, such as two sections shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and as continuations for the same mclosure. In this case, we

have shown two of the transverse, truss tion are more particular]; directed, in part,

to the provision of the ngitudinal upper compressive chords 9 which are rigidly secured to the upper parts of the saw-tooth truss sections 12 and preferably to the peaks or ridges thereof and also in employing a lower chords 13 which are continuous, mechanically,throughout the total base length of the corre onding series of saw-tooth truss sections wit in the structure of the superspan trusses, the lower chords acting as ties or tension members; while the upper chords 9 act as struts or compressive members. It

is manifest that while the best results will be obtained by arranging the top .chords 9 to connect with the aks or ridges of the roof structure, as s own at 16, nevertheless, it will suffice for the said chords to be connected with the saw-tooth truss sections 12 at a reasonable distance below the peaks or ridges of the roof, so long as the com ression strains are properly sustained an the necessary rigidity insured. It will further 15,1as v be an that the m arrrelation of the intermediate trusses .1 and the transverse trussed girders 10 with the upper compressive chords 9 and the lower tension-chords 13, gitu inally conside sure the plurality of saw-tooth sections being self-supporting intermediate of the front and 'rear ends thereof; that is to say, all intermediate posts under the gutter portions 5 may be ellminated.

In Fig. 1, the walls of the-building at 7 and 8 may be of the lightest construction and, if desired, almost entirely of sash, as it is-not necessary that there shall be any ate in the entire structure except at the our corners. If the buildin' is of very great width or equivalent to don 1e theusual width as commonly employed, then and in that event it may be desirable, though not essential, to place two additional posts 6, one intermedlate of the front corner posts and the other intermediate of the rear corner posts, as is indicated in Fig. 2. In this construction, the transverse trussed girders 10 of the 'several'saw-tooth sections may be double the length in the transverse direction or width of the building, as is indicated in- Figs. 2 and 5. If we assume that, in Fig. 1, the saw-tooth structureof the roof was intended to correspond in width to a'normal benefit will accrue even w on the transverse building, then and in that event the middle chord 9 may be dispensed with, if desired, and reliance placed u on the outer chords 9 together with a sh cient strength of the transverse trussed 'rders 10. I however, it is desired to doub e the width of the build! ing or make it ,materiall wider than the normal width between t e usual rows of supports, then the transverse trusses may be so combined with an upper intermediate chord 9 and a lower intermediate tie chord 13 that ample strength may be provided for the roof load without anywmtermediate suprts in the room space low, and in fact, f desired, even at the end ofthe building intermediate of the corner posts. This, however, is not a material uirement in con nection with the outer wal s of the building, but where the saw-tooth. construction is to be re ated .(Fig. 3') longitudinally for great ength s, several hundred feet or more, then it is desirable to reduce to a minimum any of the post sup rts which would objectionably obstruct t e room ace. In this connection, it is manifest that t e intermediate super-span trusses are su ported wholly by the transverse trussed 'r ers 10 and this trussed girders are less in number than the saw-tooth portions. It is, of course, to be kept in mind that where it is cheaper to 1ntroduce a reasonable number of intermediate supports in a wide room, and by so doing reduce the vertical height of the transverse rovide a most lglgid construction, lon-. and which will in-' these secondary trusses 10 with a corresponding cheapenin in cost, such modification wouI be dictate tions there would have been posts or equivalent means of support adjacent to the points 14 below the gutters 5. As before stated, 2 represents the saw-tooth structure, 3 the cement or other solid roof covering, and 4 the sash structure.- The .roof structures 3 are supported in part upon a plurality of intermediate trusses 12 which are triangular in shape and suitably braced -or trussed to provide rigidity to; the superspan truss; trusses havln the oblique beams or purlms 12 upon w ich the roof proper is in part sup orted. In the case of the trusses'12, whic are associated with the super-span trusses, their bottom chords 13 are contlnued intie members 13 which. extend over and connect with the end .of the bottom chord 13 of the next intermediate truss section 12 and so on, so that the bottom chord formed by the parts 13 and 13' may 'be continuous structurally andact as the bottom or tension chord for the whole length of the building comprised in the said three saw-tooth sections. This same condition would be maintained, if the length provided moreor less saw-tooth sections, according to truss (of the next saw-tooth section), constitutes a tie which is an essential part of our improvement. The construction just described is provided at both extreme sides of the roof and also intermediate of those sides, when considering a building of the character illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, but in addition to the intermediate trusses 12 so provided in the super-span trusses, there may, if desired, be an additional number of such trusses or other means such as purlin members 12", designed solely for the support of the roof; though where a heavy superstructure .is required for weighty shafting and other special means, additional tie sections 13 may be employed with the additional truss members 12, if preferred.

When constructing the saw-tooth roof structure with the embodiment of our im-- provements, the lower continuous tension chords 13 and 13 may be of continuous girder forms, as illustrated, and 'the same riveted by plate 17 to the lower parts of the transverse trussed girders 10 and oblique limit ourselves,

the case of t e girders 12, as more fully shown in Fig. 4; and similarly, the u per portions of the intermediate trusses 1 may be provided with plates 16 by which they are riveted to the upper portions of 1 the transverse trussed girders 10 and to the lon tudmal upper compression chords 9. e, transverse trussedgirders 10 may be of the construction illustrated in 5 and 6, the same composed of top and bottom chords, vertical posts and oblique tie members to give vertical rigidity coupled with the desired span and permit the passage of light. The upper chord members 9 may be built up of a number of girder sections, as more fully illustrated in Fi 6, the same comprising threechannel 'r ers, twoof which, 18, 18, are secured bac to back upon the top plates 16, aforesaid, and the third, 19, restinghorizontall upon the top flange of the irders 18 an riveted thereto and with t e end flanges projectin downwardly. We do not owever, to the particular cross section ormake up of these top chords 19, but illustrate what we believe to be a built up girder suitable for the purposes herein described.

It will be noted from Figs. 5 and 6, that the two transverse trussed girder sections 10, 10, are abutted upon the plate 16 at the top and plate 17 at the bottom and riveted thereto, so as to constitute practicall a continuous transverse trussed iierder w ich, as illustrated in Fig. 1, may supported at the ends onl by the corner'posts 6, 6. In

end of the buil 'ng, the said girder, composed of the sections or parts 10, 10, may, if

desired, have 'an additional support immediately below the middle top chord 9, as indicated at 6 in Fig. 2. In the case of the other transverse trussed girders 10 (Fig. 3),

they would be sup orted upon the tie members 13 and would not require any under support in the form of posts or iers. It is en ent, however, that should t ere be any excessive overhead loads required to be car- ,re ndingl Hymnal; where the transverse width of the roof structure is to be increased'beyond that which has normally been the'practice,

this increase in the vertical hei ht of the transverse girder 10 will be utiliz to bridge the greater transverse distance required and supporting the intermediatesuper-span r d h e t e d sea e is t be very 'rder at the extreme front great, the said transverse girders 10 may be prising, the roofing structure is contained within the building and protected from outside we'ather'conditions, with the single exception of the top chords 9 which, however, are simple in construction and which ma be made of a form (Fig. 6) which will rea ily shed rain and easily protect" itself against weather conditions. Considerin the truss work shown in Fig.- 3 as constitutingvthe main or super-span truss, it will be seen that the transverse trussed girders 10 act as strut members between the top 9 and the lower tension 0 ords 13, 13, whereas the trusses 12 constitute diagonal bracin which, as composite members, might be considered more Properly as tension members in the case 0 the two saw-tooth sections to the right of Fig. 3; but the truss members 12 at the extreme left of Fig. 3 would, in a general way, act as equivalent to a strut or post tothe su er-span truss. If

desired, the truss parts 0 trusses 12 (except part 12) may be omitted from all of these trusses exce t tothe extreme left saw-tooth section in ig. 3; also, if desired, the bra'c:

in truxes 12 may be omitted where heavy" cei ing loads, such as shafting and pulleys, are not required to be supported.

For the purpose of illustrating our invention, we have shown in the accompanying drawings the embodiment thereof which is at present preferred by us, since the same is in the form which we have found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, but it is to be understood that we do not restrict ourselves to the details, as the same are susceptible in modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or sco e of the invention. p

ving now described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 2-- 1. An improved roof of saw-tooth construction, comprising a plurality of parallel trussed sections providing saw-tooth framing along the length'of the building for supporting oblique roof covering portions and upri ht sash portions, said saw-tooth framing avin'g a plurality of parallel tension chord :members extending throughout the entire length of the roof structure at its base and supported attheir ends, and a plurality of longitudinal compression chord members at a' higher elevation than the tension chord members and rigidly secured to the upper portions of the framing of the several saw-tooth members and. located above the main level Of the. PQOf covering com ression chords and sash portions, combined with transing a pluralit of saw-tooth truss structures each provid with a transverse truss supporting glazed sash, said truss of a depth substantially equal to the maximum depth of the saw-tooth structures, oblique memhers? supporting the oblique roof covering and sustained at their upper ends upon the transverse truss, a plura ty of horizontal tie members of the plurality of saw-tooth truss structures united. to form continuous lower tension chord members longitudinally of the entire roof structure and supporting the lower ends of the obli ue members, combined with a plurality of longitudinal compression chord members arranged above the roof of the saw-tooth truss structures and securely attached to the respective upper portions thereof and .to their transverse trusses to positively connect said saw-tooth truss st ctures and hold their upper portions apart in a direction with ect to the length of the roof, said tension an compression chord members spaced apart laterally with respect to the transverse trusses and secured tively to the lower and upper portions t ereof. I

3. An im roved roof of saw-tooth construction w ich comprises ,a plurality of arallel truss forms providing saw-tooth raming for supporting the roof covering portions and upright sash, the framing for supporting the sash consisting of rectangular open mesh trussed girders respectively arranged transversely at the high portions I of each of the saw-tooth sections in the roof and supporting it intermediate of its ends against sagging, tension chord members extending longitudinallyjof the roof at its bottom portion for its full length, combined with longitudinal upper compression chord members arranged above the main rtion of saw-tooth roof portions and secured to the framing thereof including the upper portions of the transverse open-mesh trussed girders, and sup rts for the vfront andrear, ends of the 700 p 4+In a saw-tooth roof structure, longitudinal truss framing, comprising upper compression chords, lower tension chords, transverse trussed girders, ced apart dee and secured .at their lower'portions to the tension chords and at their upper portions to the compression chords, a plurality of obllque intermediate roof supporting trusses of general triangular form secured at their upper portions to the transverse trussed.

girders and at their bottom portions to the tension chords, oblique roof covering supported by the oblique intermediate trusses below. the compression chords, and sash coveringsecured to the transverse trussed girders Intermediate of the compression and tension chords, the transverse trussed girders actin as compression members to the a plurality, in excess of two, of paralle super-span truses, each having a top compression chord, a bottom tension chord and post and'tie members connectin them, and oblique roof sections extendin between the top and bottom chords, com iued with a truss having a height substantially equal to the distance between the top and bottom iehords of the su r-span trusses and arranged transverse y to the length thereof, said transverse truss secured to each of the super-span trusses and also bridging the space between the outermost super-s trusses and sustaining the intermedlate super-span truss or trusses, upright window sash framing of the saw tooth roofing arranged transversely of the super-span trusses and supported thereby, and supports for the outermost super-span trusses.

6. A sawtooth roof structure comprising a plurality, in excess of two, of parallel super-span trusses-each having a top compression chord, a bottom tension chord and post and he members connecting .them, oblique roof sections extending between the top and bottom chords, and supports for the ends of the outermost super-span trusses, combined with a plurality of transversely arranged trusses extending between the outermost super-span trusses and secured fix edly in relation thereto and to the interme- In testimony of ,which invention, we, hereunto set our hands this 29th day of April, 1921.

WALTER F. BALLINGER. CLIFFORD H. SHIVERS. 

